associate

academic degrees

...offered by all universities that admit advanced students and is granted after prolonged study and either examination or original research. A relatively new degree in the United States is that of associate, which is awarded by junior or community colleges after a two-year course of study; it has a relatively low status.

junior college

Graduates of community and junior colleges ordinarily earn an associate degree. The degree most awarded is the associate in arts (A.A.); others include associate in applied science and associate in business administration. Programs following the U.S. model have been introduced in other countries, including Canada, the Philippines, and Japan.